A statewide competition held to recognize students for its potential, the annual All-State Choir auditions return Tuesday evening for nine students that advanced beyond the region round.

“Auditions are composed of four phases,” sophomore Jane Wester said. “And it starts with region. The number of people keeps narrowing down until everyone in the state who has gotten past all of the phases are grouped into one total choir.”

Attempting to pass through even just the first level requires tremendous commitment according to choir teacher Toni Ugolini.

“We’re probably the strongest area in the state,” choir teacher Toni Ugolini said. “We compete at the area level and we compete against Plano, McKinney and all of the other big districts around the metroplex. So even advancing to the region choir is a huge accomplishment which requires a lot of dedication and desire for the art. I have students that have been practicing for two hours every day since summer. It really depends on how bad you want this and how far you’re willing to go for it.”

Many students still decide to proceed with the auditions despite knowing the intensity of the competition as there are opportunities for scholarships for a future career in music.

“There are always scouts present at the all-state concerts,” Ugolini said. ” You definitely gain a lot of recognition and schools will try to convince students to choose their school since our state has the strongest choir group out of all them. Other times, there might be small scholarships involved and they might want you to be a part of their singing programs.”

Regardless of the result, Ugolini says that working towards All Region can set choir students apart in college applications.

“The dedication and time commitment to audition for these choirs is immense,” Ugolini said. “Whether you’re successful or not, managing your academic load shows a lot of multitasking and time management that colleges are really looking for in their freshmen class applicants.